Harry Potter: What If
by Redstorm of Scar Pack
Summary: What if Harry Potter had been in Slytherin? What if Snape never loved Lily? If Voldemort had learned to love? Would your life be the same again? Warning: Spoilers. Don't read if you haven't seen or read all the Harry Potter books/movies
1. If Harry shook Malfoy's hand

Harry stared as Hermione left the compartment. She was bossy, rude and from the looks of it, an extreme know-it-all. It would be an effort not to hate her.

Ron caught his glance and rolled his eyes as another boy, accompanied by his two bulkier friends, entered the train and swaggered over to them.

"So, it's true then," he sneered. "Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts." He smiled dangerously, and strode even closer to Harry and Ron. "My name's Malfoy," he continued. "Draco Malfoy."

Ron had to pretend he was coughing to hide a laugh. The action was not missed my Malfoy, who gave Ron a death glare. If looks could kill, Ron would be dead.

"Think my name's funny, do you?" he snarled. "No need to ask _yours_. Red hair, and a hand-me-down robe? You must be a Weasley!"

Harry and Malfoy exchanged a glance. His cold eyes pierced Harry like daggers. "I think you'll find you're better off hanging around other people, Potter. You don't want to become friends with the wrong sort."

Ron's ears had turned scarlet. "I think he can tell the wrong sort out for himself, thanks."

Harry gaped at Ron before turning back to Malfoy. He had offered out his hand to Harry's, and Harry stared at it hard, thinking on what he should do. Hermione had only just stepped back into the compartment when Harry extended his own hand, and shook Malfoy's.


	2. If Harry Was In Slytherin

McGonagall gave her little speech. It had everyone excited, wondering what house they'd be in. Of course, none of the wizards and witches raised by Muggles knew the Houses yet. That was yet to come.

The Sorting Hat had just been placed on the stool when it burst into song:

_Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,_

_But don't judge on what you see,_

_I'll eat myself if you can find a smarter hat than me_

_You can keep your bowlers back, _

_Your top hats sleek and tall,_

_For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat and I can cap them all_

_There's nothing hidden inside your head the Sorting Hat can't see,_

_So try me on and I will tell you where you ought to be_

_You might belong in Gryffindor where dwell the brave at heart,_

_Their daring, nerve and chivalry set Gryffindors apart_

_You might belong in Hufflepuff where they are just and loyal_

_Those patient Hufflepuffs are true and unafraid of toil_

_Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw, if you've a ready mind_

_Where those of wit and learning will always find their kind_

_Or perhaps in Slytherin, you'll meet your real friends_

_Those cunning folk use any means to achieve their ends_

_So try me on, don't be afraid, and don't get in a flap_

_You're in safe hands (though I have none!)_

_For I'm a thinking cap!_

Harry's stomach did a massive flip-flop as the Sorting Hat finished his song. A few people had already been Sorted now, including Malfoy. He was grinning at Harry from the Slytherin Table.

"Harry Potter!"

McGonagall's voice boomed out loud from the Great Hall. Harry, shaking, stood up and picked his way over to the stool.

As soon as the Sorting Hat was placed on his head, a small whisper sounded at the back of his brain. "Hmm. Difficult, very difficult. Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind, either. There's talent. Oh, my goodness, yes, and a nice thirst to prove yourself. Now, that's brilliant. Now, where to put you?"

Harry gripped the edge of the stool so hard his knuckles were white. He only had enough time to wish for his House when the Hat bellowed, "SLYTHERIN!"


	3. What If Voldemort Had Learned To Love?

Lily had seen him coming. At first sight, she had dashed up the stairs, and hurriedly stacked chairs, books, anything she could find at the door to prevent this monster from killing her child.

With a crash, and a flash of red light, the door burst open and the items fell with a terrible _SMASH. _Lily's eyes widened in horror as Voldemort came ever closer, wand pointed to her young son.

"Don't!" she wailed. "Please, not Harry! Anything but Harry, please..."

"Stand aside, you foolish girl," came Tom Riddle's angry, snake-like hiss. "Stand aside, now!"

"No, don't! Please..."

All of a sudden, Voldemort lowered his wand. Lily narrowed her eyes, and dropped Harry Potter into his cot. The snake-like wizard, shocked and horrified at his own moment of weakness, seemed stunned as well as the red-headed Lily.

And then, expectantly, the wand had clattered to the floor! Was Voldemort, the most evil and darkest wizard of all time, actually showing _mercy?_

But then Lily Potter saw the true reason of Voldemort's weakness. He raised his hand and moved them slowly towards his own throat.

"No!" Lily shrieked. She could have run, run far away with Harry, but that did not seem fair to leave him there when he had spared her and her son's life. "Don't!"

But it was no use. Tom Riddle was turning blue. He gagged, choked, even, but that did not stop Lily from trying to pry back the crushing fingers. Death, she knew, was minutes away...

And then Voldemort's eyes glazed, and he lay there in the charred room, lights shining like the stars that Lily Potter could not see.


	4. If the Longbottoms weren't Tortured

Frank and Alice Longbottom were enjoying a peaceful night when they saw her. They knew she had promised she would find them, but how she could have found them so soon, they did not know. The Order had failed on their job, then, to keep them safe.

Frank had only just stepped into view of the Death Eaters - Rabastan Lestrange, Rodolphus Lestrange, Bellatrix and Barty Crouch Jr - when there was a terrible, drawn out scream from the living room. Alice was being tortured.

"Now, for the last time," Bellatrix hissed. "Where is the Dark Lord?"

"I don't know," Alice sobbed. "The Order wouldn't tell us."

"Right." Bellatrix stopped the Crutiatus Curse at once and let Alice get up. The other three, sickened by Bellatrix's act of mercy, hissed in rage.

"What?" Bellatrix snarled. "She is telling the truth, and I know it! You can't torture someone if they are innocent!"

Barty Crouch Jr retorted, "How dare you say that? If you have a brief moment of weakness then you are being disloyal to Voldemort!"

"Disloyalty?" screeched Bellatrix. "No one's ever accused me of disloyalty!" With a bang and a flash of red light, Frank could see Barty Crouch Jr twisted in a kneeling position in front of Bellatrix. Rabastan laced in front of her, preventing Bellatrix from doing Barty Crouch Jr any other harm, but she knocked him out of the way with a casual flick of her wand.

With a snarl, Rabastan made for his wand, and Bellatrix aimed a curse at him that would surely bring him death. Only Harry Potter had survived it... it was a foolish oversight of Voldemort not to trust her to kill the three Potters. She, Bellatrix, would have slaughtered them all.

"Avada Kedavra!" Bellatrix screamed, and with a flash of green light Rabastan lay dead, eyes unblinking, staring up into the blue sky.

The other two were terrified. Bellatrix flicked her wand again, and brought it down with a slice of pain on Barty Crouch Jr's face. He squealed, and he ran, with Bellatrix's husband close behind in hot pursuit.

Frank and Alice had just slipped into the house when Bellatrix turned to them, as if waiting for something. Her heavy-lidded eyes narrowed, and Alice finally piped up, in a small and timid voice, "Th-thank you for saving me."

Bellatrix only had time to give the couple a ghost of a smile that eventually broadened into something more genuine before she turned and Disapparated with the usual loud _crack._


End file.
